Kanto: One Last Attempt
by Fancyyy
Summary: Seven years after Lows' journey in Johto, he thought his journey as a trainer was already over. However, Sip, who moved into Johto, convinced him to make the last attempt at the Indigo League. With his worsened mental state and meeting people who made him remembered the bitter past, will he be able to create the happy ending he wanted?
1. Prologue

"Hey, Pidgey... Where'd you go?"

The little boy anxiously walked around the town to search for his beloved Pidgey. However, the efforts were in vain. The little boy continued walking and calling for his Pokémon, not realizing he was entering the route with no Pokémon on him.

Of course, he wouldn't noticed that as he was too busy searching for his Pidgey. As he continued calling for it, he noticed a Pokémon that looked like his beloved pet.

"Pidgey, is that you?! I'm so glad-" However, his happy expression turned into a shocked one as he noticed the similar Pidgey was having a fierce look on its face. It was clear that it didn't like the human's company.

The little boy noticed the unfriendliness from the Pokémon as he tried to back away. He was too late to noticed that more Pidget surrounded him. It seemed like he messed with the wrong Pidgey.

He panicked: He wasn't expecting to get into such trouble. What made the situation worse was the fact that he didn't have any Pokémon on him. The horde of Pidgey locked eyes on the boy, ready to attack him whenever their leader issue a command.

He wanted to yell for help, however he wasn't stupid: He knew that the move will only made the Pidgeys attack immediately. However, he had nothing to do as the Pidgeys closed in towards him.

 _H-Help me!_

As the leader cried out, the horde of Pidgeys rushed towards him, only to be stopped by an icy bolt of energy coming towards them, hitting some of the Pidgeys. The others noticed the turn of events and ran away. The horde of Pidgey were ones who only impose upon those who were kind and fear those who were severe, after all.

"Good job." He heard a deep masculine voice to his right. He saw a male teenager wearing long black pants and a black hoodie, making him hard to see who he was. The boy could tell he was experienced, though. He continued watching as the mysterious trainer returned his Pokémon and went over and check on the boy. He asked, "Are you injured?"

"Nope, I'm fine! Thank you." The boy politely replied.

"Good. You shouldn't be here without any Pokémon with you though." The trainer adviced.

"I'm sorry..." The little boy lowered his head, "It's just, my Pidgey went missing and I assume he is at the grass here..."

Feeling bad for the little boy, the trainer said, "I get it. You're just trying to find your beloved Pokémon. I'll help you with that."

As he said that, he started looking through the grass. It didn't take him too long before he was seen coming towards the boy with a Pidgey. The Pidgey appeared to be harmless as he enjoyed the trainer's company.

"This Pidgey... He might be yours." He handed the Pidgey to the boy. The boy recognized the familiar scent coming from the Pidgey and hugged him tightly.

"Pidgey! Don't ever leave me again..." The Pidgey was shocked but happy with his owner's reaction.

"Maybe he just came out to play, that's all." The trainer guessed, "I think it's okay for you to take him here sometimes, just don't interfere with other wild Pokémon again."

"I will! Thank you!" The boy was very grateful towards the trainer who had already helped him twice.

"I'll take you back home." The trainer said with the same tone as he started walking towards the city. The boy hurried and followed along, with the Pidgey in his arms.

It didn't take them too long before reaching Viridian City. The boy ran towards his home as the trainee slowly followed. The boy politely thanked his savior, "Thanks again! I don't know what would happen to me without you. You are such an experienced trainer!"

"It's really nothing. I'm not an experienced trainer, I'm just here to help out others." The trainer slightly shook his head.

"Don't deny it! I'm sure you're better than you think..." The innocent child said, "I want to be just like you when I grow up!"

Upon hearing him, the trainer slightly stunned before saying, "I-I'll be off now. Stay safe."

"Yup! Thank you, trainer!" The boy eagerly waved his hand until the trainer disappeared from his sight.

* * *

As the trainer walked back home, the words that the boy said kept on wandering through his mind.

 _"I want to be just like you when I grow up!"_

He bitterly chuckled.

 _I remember... I used to have that innocent dream too..._

 _Dreams._

 _Reality._

 _I guess they are just two completely different worlds._

He sighed, before continuing his way home.

* * *

The trainer finally reached his destination: Pallet Town. He didn't know why, but that walk back took longer than usual. Maybe, the thoughts made him walk slower than usual.

He shook his head, trying to get everything out of his mind. He was about to enter home, after all. The place where he could actually relax for a little while.

He opened the door as he said, "I'm back, Mom."

A lady replied, "You seemed to be later than usual. Anyways, hurry and take a shower, dinner is already ready!"

"I'll do that right now." He quickly went upstairs towards a room, as he entered it and locked the door. He took some clothes and was about to go into the bathroom, but he decided to do something else first. It wouldn't take much time, anyway.

He took out a diary, and started writing what happened that day. He finished the diary with the sentences...

"Having dreams is great, but will one give up when he faces the cruel reality? I, Lows Landerson already paid the price just to make an effort on pursuing that silly dream of mine seven years ago. I don't know... if I want to try again."

Before he could realize, a tear fell from his face, and moistened the page of the diary.

He sighed in regret, as he closed the diary and entered the bathroom.

* * *

 **Welcome to my third and final arc of the journeyfic: Kanto: The Final Attempt - Reveal to the Past.**

 **Now, I know some of you may be wondering: "What about the Johto arc? Are you not going to continue it anymore?"**

 **The answer is...**

 **Yes, I won't be continuing it anymore. However, next chapter will be explaining most of the events that happened in Johto.**

 **This story, Lows will have a big turn compared to his younger self. This character will be reassembling myself as a person, and I hope you all will enjoy it.**

 **I don't know if there's a certain schedule, but hopefully it won't take too long for me to make another chapter.**

 **Till then, see you next time!**


	2. Kanto 1

Surprising, isn't it?

Everything had changed in seven years. Instead of the cheeeful, happy self I once was, it seemed like my character had taken a big turn.

Maybe, the young, carefree self was still inside me. He was just hidden... I guess.

I sighed and started showering, feeling the cold water crash against my head then flow down my body.

Usually, a shower always calmed me down.

However, today was different.

I sighed again and more liquid started to flow down my face.

A mixture of water and tears.

I thought back to the past.

* * *

"Mom, Dad, Sis, I'm back!" I opened the door, ready to give them a surprise. As soon as the Silver League was over, I had immediately gone back to my home region, Kanto.

However, I just heard... nothing.

It was quiet.

I assumed that they weren't home, which was alright for me as I went upstairs to my room.

 _Ah, my dear room, how long has it been since I've last seen you?_ I happily sighed as I lay on my old, comfy bed. However, I then heard something outside. Was that... sobbing? I left my room and walked through the hallway until I found the source of the noise:

Mom and Dad's room.

I gently opened the door.

"Mom? Dad-" I stopped talking. What lay before my eyes in that moment... I would never forget.

My father was there.

Lying on the bed, extremely weak.

Sitting beside him were my family members, all shocked at my sudden arrival.

I couldn't react.

In a single moment, my life had turned from heaven to hell.

* * *

I shook my head, trying to snap myself back to reality.

 _Don't... don't think about it... Just don't._

That was one of the darkest moments of my life. My father was ill, and I never got to fulfill my responsibility as a son, to stay by his side longer... To spend more time with him before the end of his life.

I had been too late... And all because of my dream, my aspiration, my fantasy, my delusion. All for nothing.

All because I thought I had what it takes to become the best Pokémon Trainer.

After I finished showering, I went downstairs and had my dinner with Mom. Eventually, she broke the sullen silence that settled over the table. "L-Lows?"

"What's up, Mom?"

"T-The new Indigo League is going to start soon. Are you participating?" She hesitantly asked.

I stopped eating.

Every year she would ask me this question. My answer was always no. However, someone else would be coming here soon, and he would definitely convince me to join the league. I wouldn't know how to react.

The dream had never disappeared from within me. Never.

However, I had already lost the chance to spend time with my father.

I couldn't let it happen again. I couldn't miss my opportunity... To spend time with Mother, too.

Silence once again overcame us, the sounds of chopsticks colliding against bowls and plates providing the only noise.

My Mom spoke again after what felt like forever, "You know, I hope Charmaine is doing well."

"She is, don't worry."

"Oh? How do you know?"

"I've been... communicating and checking on how she's doing with Wally." I answered. A few years after the Silver League, they resigned as gym leaders in Hoenn and went to a region called Alola, where they became trainers in the Battle Tree. They were still a happy couple.

"They've come a long way on their journey, haven't they?" Mom smiled.

"They sure have."

"I hope... you can continue your journey, too." I was shocked. This wasn't what I expected to hear from her at all. Instead of answering, I just quickly finished my meal and did the dishes.

After that, I opened the door and told Mom, "Mom, I'm going to the backyard."

"Alright!"

I closed the door and walked to my destination, where a familiar Pokémon excitedly wagged his tail upon seeing me.

"Hey, Ziggs." I said as I petted him, which I knew made him really happy. I then sent all my Pokémon out, letting them spend some time together.

I looked around the backyard. The first two Pokémon I saw were Woody and Grace, happily lying down on the grass together and counting the night's stars.

I smiled.

I still remembered how it all began.

* * *

It was the end of the Silver League, which meant that we could finally get Grace back onto the team. Out of everyone, Woody was definitely the most nervous.

"Are you excited to see Grace again?" I asked him.

"Y-Yeah." He said, barely able to contain his nerves and excitement.

"Let's go in, shall we?" I said as we stepped into the hospital. After searching for a while, we finally spotted the Gardevoir that we hadn't seen in months.

Grace noticed us too, but as we were about to run towards her we were interrupted by another Pokémon.

A Zoroark got closer to Grace, giving her a wink.

Woody was stunned. He couldn't believe what he saw. After all those months apart... All he'd wanted was for them to still be together.

 _Not like this._

The Sceptile ran out of my sight. I tried to call him but it was no use. When I looked at Grace and the Zoroark again, I only saw Grace with an angry expression readying for an attack, giving the Zoroark a fair warning. The Zoroark backed away, clearly not wanting to taste her power.

I walked towards her and she gave me a big hug.

"I missed you, Grace." I said.

"I missed everyone too." She replied as we released each other from the embrace. Suddenly, she noticed someone she was waiting for wasn't here.

"Where's Woody?"

* * *

Woody had run out of the hospital, upset at what he saw. _Maybe... all those time where I tried to be a stronger Pokémon... wasn't enough? Is it too late now?_

It was already getting late, as he looked at the stars. He still remembered that day when he and Grace watched the stars at the very same place together, and Grace confessed her feelings towards him.

 _But now..._

He sighed.

Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice.

"H-Hey." He turned back, and saw the Gardevoir looking at him. He was happy, but he didn't know how she feel that time.

Therefore, they just stood quietly while looking at the stars.

He knew that the Gardevoir had something to tell him, and she did, "That Zoroark... is just someone I saw in the hospital. He eventually started going for me, but I didn't like him at all. It's not what you think it is, Woody."

Woody pretended he wasn't paying attention, but he had heard everything. _I guess... what I saw isn't true at all... I trust her._

Silence fell upon the duo once again before Grace broke it. "You know, this is our third time seeing the beautiful night sky together."

"Yeah... I remember. I remember every moment." Woody finally replied.

"Throughout these past few months, I've really missed everyone on the team. Especially you, Woody," she confessed.

"Really?" He rubbed his head, "Actually, me too. I didn't just miss you... I wanted to be with you, just like old times. Those feelings I told you about... They never faded away."

Grace smiled. "Woody... My feelings never went away either. One the reasons I never regretted joining the team... is because of you, Woody. You made me really happy."

"Wow..." Woody said as his face turned red, "I never knew I was that important to you. A-Am I glad..."

Looking at the flustered Woody, she giggled and could barely contain her feelings anymore. She suddenly leaned in closer towards Woody and kissed him on the cheek.

 _G-Grace?!_

Woody's face turned bright red as Grace smiled.

"I-I still love you, Woody. I hope we can be together... and never let go of each other." Grace expressed her feelings.

Instead of replying, Woody tightly embraced her, which she happily returned the gesture. The embrace felt like forever. Neither of them wanted to let go after separating for so long.

Meanwhile, my other Pokémon and I watched the two's sweet moment together. We were happy for them.

"We've waited for so long for this to happen!" Surfer exclaimed.

We all laughed before leaving the two to have some time for themselves. After so many months apart they'd have a lot to talk about.

* * *

I grinned as I reminisced on the happy moments they'd had.

Years had passed, and it felt like their relationship had never changed. They were still strong as one. However, to my knowledge, they never had a first kiss together due to Woody's shyness. But that had always been okay with Grace and they still had tons of time for that very moment.

After that, I looked at another two Pokémon, Ziggs and Star, who were happily talking together, while the Ampharos tried to hide the blush from her face.

I sighed.

 _If only Ziggs didn't offer to do that... Maybe they're already together by now._

I still remembered how their bond began to develop, and what happened to Ziggs after the league.

* * *

"I want you to have an one on one battle with me, Lows!" Jeverson, my rival in Johto said.

"Challenge accepted. I'm going to choose you, Star!" I wanted to give her more experience towards battling, but as soon as she was sent out...

She looked around in shock, and immediately ran away from the battlefield.

"Star! Wait!" I tried to call her back only to no avail. She was still too scared to battle.

Star, who back then was still a Mareep, was crying. Does she really have to go through this? It's just so hard... after what had happened to her, getting dumped by her trainer, Taylor Rose and getting captured by Team Rocket, it wasn't going to be easy to recover.

Suddenly, a Pokémon approached her.

"Z-Ziggs?" She asked.

"W-Why did you run off? I was worried about you!" Ziggs said as he panted, tired from the distance he had run to find her.

"A-Ah, i-it's just..."

"I saw everything. You didn't want to battle, did you?" Ziggs asked.

"I-I guess so. I-I wanted to find the courage and battle, but my former trainer's words and what happened back then with Neo Team Rocket... they just all came into my mind and I couldn't focus. I guess... I wasn't ready after all." Tears started to form in the Mareep's eyes.

"I-It's okay, Star!" Ziggs comforted her, "We all have our fears. For example, I'm... just scared that I will be a burden to the team." Ziggs sighed as he expressed his thoughts, "I'm starting to become weaker in battles, and soon I'll be unable to catch up to the team's progress."

Then, he perked up, slightly surprising the Mareep, "However, we gotta look forward! The road is still long for us, and I will work harder before I fully believe that I couldn't do this anymore. It's my biggest dream to be able to battle, after all!" Ziggs smiled.

Star looked at him and chuckled. He really did know how to cheer someone up with his words.

"Star," The Linoone suddenly looked at the Mareep, "are you willing to try your best... with me?"

Star was shocked, but she was touched by the Linoone's words. She nodded, and Ziggs was happy.

"Yay! Let's go back to Lows, he must be worried about you!" Ziggs said, as he started dashing back to Lows. Star followed him, a warm feeling surrounding her.

 **After the Silver League...**

I was sitting alone on the bench after Woody and Grace confessed to each other.

 _Since Grace is back on the team, we have seven members now. Which means... I'll have to leave behind out for our next adventure. Oh no... What do I do?_

My thoughts drifted to the topic, but the answer came faster than I thought. A Pokémon approached me. "Lows, I have something to tell you."

"Oh, what is it?"

"I-I would... like to leave the team." I was shocked by the Pokémon's words.

"W-Why is that, Ziggs?" I looked at the Normal type, at a loss for words. He was one of the earliest members in the team, and we bonded so well on our journey. I didn't want to see him go.

"W-Well..." Ziggs said as tears formed in his eyes, "I really thought I had a chance to catch up and continue as a member of the team. But you've seen how lacking my performance was during the Silver League... I realized that my body just won't listen to me despite having the will to do it. This is why... I wanted to leave the team. I'm slowly feeling like more and more of a burden and battling isn't as enjoyable anymore..."

I petted the Normal type, "I understand, Ziggs... But I don't want you to leave. The team obviously doesn't, too."

"I-I know... But what else can I do? Grace came back to the team, and one of us has to go. I would rather leave now before my condition becomes even worse than it already is."

I continued petting my Linoone, my trusty team member. _Is there... really no other way?_

However, that was when I thought of something.

"Ziggs, there's no way I'll let you go. And there's one way you can stay with us." I happily said.

"Really? What is it?" Ziggs asked in confusion.

"Why don't you stay in my house after we go back to Kanto for our next adventure?" I suggested.

"A-Are you sure?" Ziggs' eyes sparkled upon hearing my suggestion, with a hint of uncertainty, "I don't want to bother your family..."

"I'm sure that they're more than happy to accept you in our home," I said as I took out my Pokégear, "I'll call them right away."

After a call, I excitedly told Ziggs, "They said you can stay in our house! They would like an extra member at home."

"R-Really?!" Ziggs was surprised as he happily jumped to me, as I hugged him tightly. "T-Thanks, Lows... You really are my life changer."

"It's nothing, Ziggs. Thank you for being here for me." I replied, memories of Ziggs and I replaying in my mind.

However, after telling the team our decision, Star, who was an Ampharos already, sadly walked towards Ziggs and looked at him, "I thought you said... you wouldn't give up..."

"It's alright, Star. I won't leave you all, anyways. Things will still be the same!" Ziggs said, looking back at her trying to force a smile, "You can visit me during your journey, too. I would love to hear... the adventures you're having, Star."

Star embraced the Normal type with tears in her eyes. Ziggs was surprised by the sudden action by Star as he blushed, but he returned the gesture while closing his eyes. They thought that it would be the last time they would be this close together.

* * *

Who would know that the following events would happen, and I would give up continuing my journey after losing my beloved father. After trying to help others in the cities near home, I would always come back every night to spend time with my family and Pokémon. Star would always go and talk to Ziggs, clearly having a crush on the Normal type. I sensed that Ziggs felt the same way too, but they just never got the chance to reveal their feelings towards each other.

I then saw my other three Pokémon, Surfer, Power and Shadow, hanging around in the backyard. Power and Shadow had developed a strong bond over the past few years, become best friends, always together wherever they would go. Surfer, who had acted as a leader figure on the team since the beginning, had been close to every single member of the team. These three were also my trusty partners and fighters in the team.

 _How great would it be if they had the chance to be used in tough battles? They would perform so well and fly high._

I sighed.

 _I guess things just never went the way they were planned..._

Tears fell from my face, thinking about that day...

* * *

After my father's funeral, I went back to my room, still downcast about the change of events.

 _Why would I be so stubborn about my dream and let my family down like this?_

 _I don't know if I should be a trainer anymore... I already paid the price, and it was... too much for me._

Suddenly, I received a call on my Pokégear. It was from Sip. I answered.

[Lows, a-are you alright?] Sip asked, clearly worried about my condition.

"I-I'm alright." I tried to sound as calm as possible, only to completely fail at doing so.

[You're clearly not fine, Lows! Just tell me how you're feeling! I'm your friend, and you know I'll always be here for you when you need help.] Sip said.

"It's just... heartbreaking..." I let down my armor and started to break down. Sip just stayed silent as I kept on crying in the call. I was probably being the biggest crybaby at that moment.

After I'd cried all I could, I said, "I-I'm sorry, Sip..."

[It's nothing. At least you feel better doing that, don't you? I know you have something on your mind. What's up?]

"I don't know... whether I should be a trainer anymore. After what just happened... I've realized that family is so much important than dreams."

[It's a tough question, Lows. Just... don't make a quick decision. Think it over before deciding on what to do in the future, alright?]

"Thanks, Sip."

[No problem. See you soon.] After the call ended, I looked at the family photo frame beside my bed and started to tear up again.

 _I already lost Dad, I can't lose anymore time I could be spending with my other family members._

I clenched my fist as I made my final decision.

After a while, someone else called me, I stared at the screen, stunned at the name on the other end.

 _What do I say when I answer the call..._

I didn't pick up the call the first time. Just as I thought, the person didn't give up and called me again and again. Knowing that they wouldn't give up, I finally relented and answered.

[Lows? Are you feeling... okay?] The Pokégear transmitted Lisa's worry-filled voice.

"I'm recovering, Lisa. Don't worry about it."

[That's good, then. What are you planning to do after everything is over?] She asked the question that I really didn't want to answer.

I didn't want to lie to her, so I told her the truth, "I'm going to stop being a trainer. I want to spend more time with my family."

[W-What?! You can't do that! Remember what you told me? Whatever happens, we'll never give up our dreams together! Did you forget about all of that?] Lisa said, shocked. I predicted that that would be her reaction.

"Just accept my decision, alright?"

[I can't accept this! After all these adventures we faced, and the promise we made together for the future, you're just going to give up?!]

I was getting frustrated, and I knew I had to stay firm to my decision no matter what. "I've made my final decision, Lisa. Don't you understand?"

[I really don't... a few weeks ago, you were still a hopeful, cheerful trainer that I admired. What happened to the Lows I knew?]

"I'm still me, it's just that I need to change for the better!"

[This is not any 'better', for me or for you! I know you want to continue your journey, and you family would support you too-]

I was getting angry, "Leave me alone, alright? I want some time to myself right now. Just continue what you're doing without me!"

She fell silent. After a while, she finally said the final sentence I would ever hear from her for years, [Alright then, I hope you're happy with your decision. We're no longer friends anymore. Take care and goodbye.]

As the call ended I collapsed onto my bed, tears forming in my eyes again.

* * *

I'd lost her. I'd lost my best friend.

There wasn't going to be a better solution. It seemed I had to sacrifice something every time I made a decision. Be it exploring as a trainer, or time with my family. You might miss times being with others, and even break friendships.

I'd lost too much in my life already. I couldn't bear to lose more.

I let my tears quietly roll down my cheeks as I continued to drown in memories.


	3. Kanto 2

I woke up on a usual morning a few days later and followed my usual routine. However, one thing shone a bit more excitement into today compared to other days.

Sip was moving to Pallet Town.

His family had been planning to move to another region about two years ago. They wanted to settle down a little after working hard in Lavaridge - they just wanted a cozy town with nice scenery. I suggested Pallet Town and after several discussions they decided it was the ideal place. And now, nearly two years later, it was finally happening. They were coming!

I lightly smiled at the thought of reuniting with Sip after so much time where the only contact we'd had was through our Pokégears. I was overjoyed that my best friend was coming to stay in the same town as me, but there was one thing that worried me.

He was planning to challenge the Indigo League.

Seven years ago, after the Silver League, he had taken a step back to stay with his family back in the Hoenn region just like me. However, he'd recently had the urge to become a trainer again and decided to test his skills in the Indigo League.

That was supposed to be a good thing, but...

He might ask me to tag along with him.

Despite my urge to try again, maybe even create a happy ending to my career as a trainer, I really, really didn't want to waste any more time I could be spending with my family. The guilt from my father's passing still hadn't faded away... It was a complicated situation for me.

I heaved out another long sigh, as I looked at my Pokémon who were excited to see Sip and his team again. "You looked more worried than excited. Is everything alright?" Surfer came towards me and asked. I forced a smile. "Yeah... I'll be fine, don't worry."

Surfer knew that something was up with me, but didn't question further as he walked towards the other male Pokémon. I looked at them: It was just like seven years ago.

Except that Power had become a Machamp.

I should probably explain how, shouldn't I?

* * *

"Summer, I have something to ask." I said during our conversation in Ecruteak.

"Sure! What is it?" she responded.

"I was wondering, since the Silver League is going to happen soon... I need to make my team stronger. Any advice on that?"

"Hmm..." She said, examining my team, "I think your team is pretty decent at this point. However, if Power evolved before the league he would definitely perform better."

"I'm not sure how to evolve Power in such a short amount of time though... I remember that Machoke evolves through trading." I was worried.

"Why don't you check out the trading festival in Mahogany Town? It's an event where Trainers get to trade their Pokémon with others around Kanto, Johto and Orange Islands. You will get paired with a partner, who will trade you a Pokémon, usually one they want to evolve. After the traded Pokémon evolves, the trainers trade back to regain their original Pokémon. I was able to evolve Rocky into a Steelix using this method, back when I was at Pummelo Island." She suggested.

"Sounds like a plan to me! Thanks, Summer." I smiled.

"No problem!"

 **After reaching Mahogany Town...**

"Power, to make you stronger than before, we are going to participate in the trading event here. Are you okay with that?" I asked.

"Sure thing-" Suddenly, Power seemed to remember something as he got scared, "No, wait! I can't do that! Please, I can't evolve yet!"

"Huh? Are you not ready?"

"No, it's not that... It's just... Not yet! It's not the time!"

I was confused by his reaction, but before I could question further, a paw touched me on the back. I looked and saw Power's best friend, Shadow. "Let me handle this," she said.

"Alright, Shadow. I think he trusts you more than me." I backed away and let the two talk about it.

..

Shadow waited until their trainer left. Then, instead of asking anything, she looked straight into his eyes.

"S-Shadow, well..." Power's face turned red as he started to stutter. There was no way he was going to tell this to anyone. Not even his best friend.

But after staring at each other for a while, he began to get lost in those eyes. He knew that Shadow wouldn't give up until she got an answer.

"Fine..." He got closer to Shadow and began to whisper to her, "I'm just scared that after I evolved, I wouldn't reach the team's expectations." He then stopped for a while. Eventually, he garnered the confidence to tell Shadow a secret he'd never told anyone before.

Shadow's ears perked up as she listened through his story. After he'd finished, she looked at him and placed a paw on his shoulder. "I know you can do this. For the team; for me."

He was about to find a way to back off from the evolution, but that sentence surprised him.

 _How could I refuse and let her down...?_

He sighed, "Okay... I'll do it. We'll see what the future holds."

Shadow happily gave him a hug, which the Fighting type awkwardly returned.

..

After a while, I went back to them, and without a doubt, Power was ready to evolve into a Machamp.

 _Wow. Shadow must have done a lot in convincing him to evolve..._

The event itself went really well. When I received the Pokéball back, a Machamp replaced the Pokémon I knew so well. "Do I... look any different than before?" he said timidly.

I chuckled, "Nope. You're still you, Power."

We all laughed, but I thought I heard what he was thinking again. "Let's hope they won't find me anytime soon... "

However, he did very well in the Silver League; that evolution really boosted his performance.

I still didn't know what he meant by that, even seven years later. But seeing that everything was fine, I just let that thought aside.

I still had the ability to read minds, but I wouldn't use it unless an important situation arose.

* * *

Anyway, Sip was going to arrive at any moment. We awaited him eagerly.

When the time came, a truck could be heard in the distance as it closed in. As it stopped, two Machoke jumped out of the truck and started lifting the furniture into the house. Then, a familiar person stepped out of back.

"Ugh! That ride in the truck was just painful..." He noticed me and exclaimed, "Lows! How are you doing?"

I hugged him, but didn't share his excitement. "I'm doing okay. It's been quite a while, Sip."

"It sure is! Kanto is such an exciting place. It's got a different vibe to the other regions I've travelled. I can't wait to explore some more!" Sip jumped around in excitement.

"That's cool." I said lightly.

After a while, the Machokes were done with lifting the furniture around Sip's family's new house. Everything was already settled by the time we got inside.

"Come on, Lows! Let's look around the house! We can even hang out together in my new room."

As we went into his huge room he put his suitcase down and opened it. He took out many Pokémon plushies and placed them properly on the shelves.

"I never knew you loved plushies." I said.

He turned to face me as he replied. "Y-Yeah... Surprising, right? I always liked these things since I was young, especially before I started my journey as a trainer. I never told anyone about it, since people think that only girls should like this kind of stuff."

"That's not true... You're allowed to like whatever you want. Don't get affected by those people."

"I know! Don't worry. I just don't tell anyone about it, that's all!" He smiled.

He then sat down on the floor and sighed. "It's been quite a while since I travelled around a region as a trainer. Time flies, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, we have come a long way. *But we both came to a stop in the end."

"Nope! This won't be the end of it!" He suddenly jumped up, "I want to travel again. Kanto could be the place I continue my journey!"

 _Yup, I knew it..._

"I'm so excited just thinking about it! Do you want to travel with me too? I need someone to help me around these parts when I'm in trouble!"

"N-No!" I immediately rejected his suggestion.

"Huh? Isn't being a Pokémon trainer your biggest dream? This is a perfect chance to make a comeback!"

"I'm not into that idea. I just want to live a normal life-"

Sip cut me off. "That's not the Lows I know! You were full of hopes and dreams back then. I know your father's death affected you a lot, but why won't you give yourself another chance?"

"You don't understand, alright?" I said, tears starting to form in my eyes as I remembered that moment.

"Yes, it's true. I don't understand. But you're so different compared to before. I want you to be yourself again, Lows!"

I could feel the tears well up in my eyes. Not wanting to show Sip the weak side of me that had formed over the past few years, I stormed out of the room and back to my house.

I locked my door. I couldn't show him that side of me. I just couldn't.

The tears I had been holding back finally fell from my face.

 _I... I can't take this. After such a long time, I'm still so weak and pathetic..._

I wasn't sure what happened to me either.

I didn't recall how it started, but that period was the darkest of my life. I was having trouble falling asleep, and felt demotivated towards everything. My self-esteem had been falling into the pit as well.

That was why I just went around the place and helped out people in need. If I could.

To make me temporarily forget about all the things that had happened in the past.

To make me feel better about myself and sleep better for that one day.

But when my hidden weak side revealed itself, I still got very out of control. Like that day after I stormed out of Sip's house.

* * *

 **Two hours later.**

That was when I finally stopped crying and came back to my senses. However, it was when the worries started as well.

 _What if I made him mad? I don't want to lose another friendship because of my stupidity..._

Ever since my friendship with Lisa ended because of my mistake, I became even more protective over my friends. I didn't want to form a new bond just for it to break.

And my friendship with Sip... I couldn't let it end. He was like a brother to me at that point. He knew my condition and almost all of my problems, and he would always help me out. I was afraid to lose him. I didn't want to be alone again.

So I made another run to Sip's house. However, as I began to leave, I found him already waiting for me in my front garden. With a sigh, the lines I had been scripting in my head came tumbling out. "I'm sorry-"

But Sip cut me off. "Its alright. That side of you appeared again?"

That completely broke my defence. Tears immediately formed and fell from my face. He knew me too well.

He took out a handkerchief and wiped my tears, "Look, it's alright. If that side comes out again, don't be afraid to show it to me. I'm sorry for forcing you too much."

"It's alright... Over the past few years I've just been thinking 'Why couldn't I stay by my father's side longer when he was about to collapse?' It just felt like I could've tried harder for my family instead of pursuing my silly dream. Of course I would wanna go explore as a trainer again... but I would have to leave my mother."

"I understand. But just so you know, I really want you to come with me for this occasion. You deserve another chance, brother."

"Thanks, Sip. I'll consider it, I really will."

I went back to my house in time for dinner. As my mother and I had our meal, I told her about the conversation I'd had. "Sip asked me if I wanted to explore with him in Kanto today."

She stopped eating and looked at me. "Well, what did you say?"

"I said I would consider it."

"Oh... I wish you would say yes immediately, son."

"Why, Mom? Wouldn't you want me to stay?"

"Of course I want you to stay, silly! But I also know that being a trainer has been your dream for so long. I want you to pursue that dream again. For me, for your sister, for your father, and for yourself."

"Pursuing my dream... it would mean that I'd have to leave you for some time, Mom..."

"I can't always stay with you, son. I will become old and leave one day, too. *You shouldn't limit yourself to having to be with me all the time. Everyone goes to a different place one day, but we have to enjoy life. That's what your father's passing taught me."

She looked at me with a kind smile, yet a steely determination radiated in her eyes. "I want you to make your life colorful and enjoyable."

Tears started to form once again, only this time they were of happiness. Gosh, I was such a crybaby. Gratitude filled me as I forced them back. "Thanks, Mom..."

We embraced each other, and at that point, I knew my final decision. To pursue the dream I had been burying for the past few years.

* * *

 **A few days later...**

"Are you sure you'll be okay on your own? If you have any problems, just call me and I'll be back..." It sounds like something a mother would say to her child, but in that situation, the roles were switched. I was nagging my mother to no end before I left with Sip - I was worried.

"Gosh, you don't have to be so worried! We can always contact each other with our Pokégears. Besides, Darcy and I are good friends now! We can always take care of each other." She said as she patted Darcy, Sip's mother's shoulder. Sip's father looked at them, smiling at their new friendship.

I looked at Ziggs, who was sad to see us go. I petted him and said, "We'll be back very soon, Ziggs. I'll visit you when we can."

"Don't worry about me! I'll be fine with your mother, I'm sure she' take care of me just fine. Also..." He whispered into my ear, "Take care of Star, alright?"

"Aww, I see how it is." I smirked as Ziggs' face turned red. I laughed and promised him, "Don't worry, I'll take care of her well."

"I guess it's time for us to go. We'll see you all soon!" Sip bid farewell and I did the same. No tears, just smiles. Smiles full of hope and expectations.

 _Hopefully, I'll do well for them._

* * *

I sent out Surfer, my Blastoise, to prevent any Pokémon from attacking us as we walked along the route to Viridian City.

"You seem to know these routes very well, Lows." Sip said.

"Yeah, I guess. I've been helping people near my house, and Viridian City is pretty close to Pallet Town, so I've been there several times."

"That's awesome! I bet those people appreciated your help."

"Hopefully."

It wasn't long before we reached our first stop: Viridian City. It all felt so familiar yet strange. I always came here with the aim of helping others. But here I was, with another motive and another dream to pursue.

"Let's go to the PokéCentre to heal our Pokémon and chill first." I accepted Sip's suggestion. As we were about to enter the place, I saw someone familiar. He noticed me and ran towards me, excited. "You're the person who saved me back then! Those Pidgeys would've pecked me hard if you weren't there! Thank you so much once again."

"No problem." I replied.

"Can we talk for a little bit? I can take you around the city as well." The boy suggested.

"Sure..." I looked at Sip and asked, "Can I join you later?"

"Don't worry about it, Lows. Take your time!" Sip replied and entered the PokéCentre.

"How's your Pidgey doing?" I asked as the boy and I walked around the city.

"Oh, he's fine! He's just growing up more and more over the past few days! It's exciting!"

I chuckled slightly at the boy's spirit. Suddenly, a feminine voice echoed. "There you are, Lucas! Took me long enough to find you. Didn't I say that you shouldn't be around the city on your own? You might get lost!"

 _That voice seems familiar..._

I looked in front of us, stunned at what I was seeing. I didn't know how to react.

The boy replied, "I know if I'm lost, you'll always find me back. You're the best sister ever~"

"Ew, gross!" She couldn't help but let out a cute laugh after hearing her brother's reply. She then noticed something, "Who's that person beside you-"

Her eyes became wide as she too recognized who I was. Memories filled my head. Memories I would never forget. This little shy girl from the past had changed a lot to say the least. But I would never forget her. Never.

After what felt like an eternity, she broke the silence. "Hey... Lows."

"Hi... Lisa."

* * *

 **Lows' Team:**

 **Surfer (Blastoise, male) Jolly Nature, moves: Scald, Aqua Tail, Ice Beam, Iron Defense**

 **Grace (Gardevoir, female) Calm Nature, moves: Psychic, Shadow Ball, Thunderbolt, Calm Mind**

 **Woody (Sceptile, male) Lonely Nature, moves: Leaf Blade, Giga Drain, Aerial Ace, Agility**

 **Power (Machamp, male) Timid Nature, moves: Submission, Cross Chop, Rock Tomb, Bulk Up**

 **Shadow (Absol, female) Quiet Nature, moves: Night Slash, Razor Wind, Psycho Cut, Protect**

 **Star (Ampharos, female) Gentle Nature, moves: Discharge, Thunder Punch, Confused Ray, Power Gem**


	4. Kanto 3

"I-It's been a long time, isn't it?"

Lisa's voice awakened me from the flood of memories. A few minutes ago, I'd just walking around the city with a little boy who I saved before, and yet now I'm here, sitting on the same bench with my friend.

Well... past friend, I guess.

After Lisa offered to talk to me alone, I told Sip that I would be arriving at the PokéCentre later than I originally planned. Being able to talk to her again was a dream come true... and a chance for me to fix my mistake.

"Yes... It has been a long time." I rubbed my head, my awkward self emerging in this conversation, "So... how are you?"

"I've been alright. After we separated in Johto, I've been going to places according to my original plan, and participated in many contests. I succeeded in some of them, and I can say my skills have improved much more than before."

"Yeah, I know that. I've been... knowing how you were doing based on news and stories."

"Really? You've been checking on me all this time?"

"Well... yeah." I looked away in embarrassment as she stared at me.

There was an awkward silence before I tried to change the subject,"Why did you come back to Kanto, even after all those achievements and successes?"

"Kanto has been my only hometown after all, so it's nice for me to take a step back and hang out with my family again. Besides, there are contests being held in the region, so I wanted to see what I had missed out on while I was gone. " Lisa replied.

"That's nice of you to think like that..." I rubbed my head, still feeling awkward... and ashamed. I still wasn't able to apologise to her about the mistake I made years ago.

That was when a thought struck me.

 _If I don't apologise now, I might never be able to. This is my only chance._

My hesitation ceased at that moment. "Lisa?"

"Yeah?"

I let out a big sigh and began my apology. "I feel like I need to say sorry to you about what happened... Seven years ago. I didn't even know what I was thinking that time. You're a great friend and I knew that all along, but I just couldn't control myself after all of that... happened. I'm sorry."

She seemed to get what I meant, giving me a smile and calming me down before she answered, "Don't worry about it. Sip told me what happened back then and I was ashamed of how I treated you, too. You must have gone through a lot, but I was just being so childish and didn't think about your condition. After I knew the truth, I wanted to call you and apologise, but I guess I wanted to save face. Seven years had passed, but I never made that apology to you. I'm not a good friend."

"It's alright. I should've made the move to explain myself, after all." I sighed in relief, knowing that she wasn't mad at me.

"Are you sure?" Lisa looked at me.

"Well... I wasn't feeling alright at first, but I understood why you were so mad at me. I was the one who encouraged you to chase your own dreams. However, it was me who gave up first after all of that. Maybe if I hadn't, our friendship would've lasted much longer. After all this time, I realised that... you're a very important friend to me." I confessed.

"Aw, Lows. Don't worry, aren't we friends again? I'm glad we can be friends again, after everything that happened. Without you, I wouldn't be what I am today."

I was happy to hear that, but at the same time, the devil inside of me seemed to think otherwise:

 _"She must've just said that because she pitied you. Compare yourself to her now. You're useless! You definitely don't deserve her forgiveness."_

 _M-Maybe he's right..._

My mind was surrounded by self-doubt as my weak side threatened to reveal himself again. I tried to control myself to no avail - I didn't want to show that side to Lisa, especially not at this moment.

But all my efforts failed.

"Lows? Are you alright?" Upon hearing her voice, I looked into her eyes, which showed care and worry towards my condition. She immediately became shocked upon seeing my look.

Tears forming in my eyes, I asked Lisa, "Do I... deserve to be forgiven?"

"Of course you do! You've always been at my side when I first started my journey. All those memories are much more important than those dumb arguements we had in the past. I mean it."

I couldn't focus on what she was saying anymore; the tears falling from my face sapped my capacity to. Lisa was shocked to see me like this, but she still tried to comfort me.

"Lows, just stay strong. If you need someone to cry on, I'll be here for you."

I shook my head, simply covering my face and bearing all of the pain myself. Lisa looked at me, the sadness in her eyes betraying the incapability she felt.

* * *

Lisa took Lows back to the PokéCentre without saying a word. Sip saw the two and was slightly shocked at Lows' condition, but he ended up staying silent as he helped Lisa to find the teenager a seat to rest on. He collapsed into it, immediately falling asleep.

"Sip, what's going on with him?" asked Lisa, her tone anxious.

"I never wanted to tell you about this... but... apparently for the past few years, he has been suffering from this condition. He calls it, 'the weak side'." Sip sighed.

"What happens to him?"

"He changes completely. He starts to feel depressed and break down. He also tends to back away from everyone when it happens. I guess he doesn't want anyone to see him at that state."

"W-Why didn't he want to go and have a checkup?" Lisa asked.

"I asked him that too. He only said three words: 'I deserve it.' That was what I was mad about. It's just so... untrue."

"Is there anything we can do to help him?" Lisa asked.

"You already did a great job today, accepting his apology and staying by his side when he was down. I guess he didn't think he deserved forgiveness after his father's passing and the arguement you two had."

"Seven years have passed. He's changed a lot..." Lisa sighed.

"Hopefully he can regain his hope on this journey."

"I hope so, too." Lisa said. Suddenly, she remembered something. "I have to go, I'll be having dinner with my family at home very soon."

"Alright then, Lisa." Sip replied.

"Hold on..." Lisa took out a note and wrote something in it, before handing it to Sip. "Please give it to Lows when he wakes up."

"Don't worry, I will. See ya!" Sip smiled. Lisa bade farewell to Sip before running back to her house.

* * *

After what seemed like forever, I woke up with Sip by my side. I realised what happened before and sighed in shame.

 _Oh no, I messed up again..._

I scratched my head, which spun with regrets. That was when Sip noticed I was awake.

"You're awake now?" Sip asked, concerned.

"Yeah... Sorry about that." I sighed. "Where is Lisa?"

"She left for a family dinner tonight. Oh, wait a second..." Sip took out a piece of paper and handed it to me, "Lisa wanted me to give you this."

I took the paper and read it:

Hey, Lows!

Sorry that I couldn't stay with you when you were not feeling alright, I had some stuff to do. You'll not be the only one with Sip to travel around the region, I'll actually be going around cities for contests, too! I can't wait to see you again in our journeys. I'm looking forward to learning lots of new things and seeing you create a happy ending for yourself as a trainer!

Oh, and feel free to call me through your Pokégear if you need someone to talk to! :)

I'm glad we can be friends again. I really am.

Lisa

The knowledge that she wouldn't leave me despite my condition overwhelmed me with relief and happiness. I guess she still occupied an important spot in my heart.

A small smile lit up my face as I remembered the day our friendship began.

* * *

I was still in high spirits after receiving the first gym badge in Johto. That was when I noticed somewhere near the PokéCentre, Lisa, who I met before, was getting bullied by Taylor Rose, a strong yet arrogant trainer for her failure in the Trainer Evaluation. I protected her and defeated Taylor's Pokémon, sending her away from the spot.

"L-Lows?" She said as we waited for our Pokémon to heal up in the Pokécentre.

"Yeah?"

"T-Thanks for saving me back there. I really wouldn't have known what to do but let her continue."

We talked about Taylor's behaviour, and Lisa told me the story of why she came to the region. When she talked about the part that she was bullied despite how friendly she was trying to be, it ached my heart. She was just like me back in the past.

"I want to be a great Coordinator," she told me when I asked her what dream she had. I knew that she lacked confidence to participate in any contests, and made the decision to invite her to follow me in my travels around the region. She happily said yes.

Honestly, traveling with Lisa really illuminated my journey. Having someone to talk to when I felt alone is something I couldn't have asked for. We soon became close friends, supporting each other along our journeys.

I could never forget the moment she earned her first Contest Ribbon after a spectacular performance. She was very happy about it, and her happiness eventually affected me too. That was when I realised I'd made a great decision. Being able to help her was the best thing I can ever do.

When I was about to leave Johto, she seemed dejected and nervous. "L-Lows, I don't want you to go..."

"Lisa, I have to continue my journey as a trainer, and going back home is something I've wanted to do for a while," I said. That was back when I had no clue what happened at home.

"W-What if I can't do this alone? You gave me the confidence I needed... What will I do without you? I'm scared, Lows."

"Aw, Lisa." I gently petted her head. She was like a little sister at that point. "I know it'll be tough. However, when you feel devastated, upset, and want to give up, don't forget that there are still your family and friends who support you. Your father, your brother, and even me... We may be far away from you, but we are always in your heart, giving you the mental support you need wherever you go. If you want someone to talk to, don't forget that you can always call me through your Pokégear."

She wiped the tears in her eyes as she said, "I'll remember that. I will miss you a lot, Lows."

"Don't worry. When you come back to Kanto, I want to see you as one of the best Coordinators in the world. Alright?"

She nodded in determination. I smiled, knowing that she'd do well in the future.

When I was about to leave, she yelled, "I will work my hardest! I'm going to emerge to the top of the Coordinators! For the people that support me! For you!"

I looked back, giving her one last smile before boarding the ferry back home.

* * *

Who knew that one conflict would ruin our friendship for seven years...

Throughout all these years, I just tried to not think about Lisa. However, I just couldn't help but check how she was doing through news and segments. Everytime I saw that she was doing well, I felt very glad for her.

I guess I tried to forget about it by burying our friendship deep inside my heart. I buried it so deep that I didn't even realise it was still there until I met her again.

When I apologised, it floated to the surface of my heart again like a piece of driftwood, brought back by a stream of water that filled the empty void that had been left there.

She was the stream of water. She saved our friendship. And my gratitude for that was immeasurable.

 _Thank you, Lisa._

* * *

"Sis, Mom's done with dinner!" Lucas yelled at his sister to gather around with the family for their family dinner.

"Alright, I'm coming!" Lisa said as she sat on a chair beside the dining table. The others did the same and enjoyed their meal. As usual, they talked about interesting stuff that had happened recently.

"Lisa, how does it feel coming back to Kanto?" Her father asked.

"It feels great," she smiled. "In fact, I just met my old friend again today."

"It's Lows, right?" Lisa didn't know how her father knew about that, until she saw the smirk on her brother's face. She rolled her eyes at him, causing him to chuckle as her father asked, "How was the reunion?"

"It was better than I expected, actually. We managed to express our regrets out and we are friends again."

"That's good. He has been such an important person in your life, hasn't he?" Her father asked.

"He sure has. Without him, I wouldn't have the confidence to start my journey as a Coordinator." She smiled.

"Look at you, you just seem so happy when you talk about him! Are you sure you didn't come back to Kanto just to see him again?" His father's smile turned wider.

"W-What?! No way!" At first denied Lisa denied it, but then she looked away and admitted, "...Well, I know that he had been in Kanto throughout these years and all, but that wasn't the reason why I came back!"

Looking at his perplexed daughter, he smiled, "I guess you just can't forget him after all. He's a nice guy, maybe you can reconsider him sometimes."

"D-Dad!" Lisa's face turned bright red as her father laughed at her reaction. They continued their meal eventually, but Lisa was still feeling slightly flustered.

 _W-Well, I definitely didn't come back just for him, right?! M-Maybe it is..._

 _No, of course not! He's not entirely the reason why I came back, anyway!_

 _Argh, I gotta get these thoughts out of my head! He's just a friend, a very good friend to me. That's all!_

* * *

After I was awake and recovered, we signed up for the Indigo League at thePokéCentre, which was a quicker process than we expected. I guess technology really had made the world more efficient.

Time flies! I remembered having to take about ten minutes just to queue up and register for the league during busy hours, yet now everything was done in mere seconds.

The lady at the place gave us a Badge Case and a sticker for each of us to put on our Trainer ID. I heard that it was a proof of our participation in the Indigo League.

When we left the PokéCentre, Sip was full of enthusiasm to challenge the Viridian Gym Leader, only to be stopped by me.

"We can't challenge the gym leader yet, Sip." I said.

"Wait, are we not allowed to challenge the Viridian City's Gym Leader first?!" He asked, shocked by what I said.

"For some reason, the gym leader here wanted every trainer to obtain the other badges first before challenging him. That's what the reports said, anyway."

"Wow, you've been doing your research. What do we do now, though?" Sip asked.

I noticed the sun setting and suggested, "Why don't we just call it a day and book a room at thePokéCentre?"

"Just like old times?" He looked at me with a smile.

I smiled back.

"Yup, just like old times."

* * *

After we moved into our room, Sip was showering while I looked at my six Pokéballs. _I know we can do this,_ I thought.

I took out my diary and started writing down what happened today.

I chose to believe in myself again and started my journey around the region. My last try as a trainer... Maybe it'll be all worth it after all. I still have no idea what's going to happen.

I met Lisa again at Viridian City. She certainly looks much more different compared to that shy girl in the past. She looks amazing, and I'm glad she got to what she is today. I apologised to her, and we're friends again. I hope I can see her more as my journey continues.

Unfortunately, I also showed my worsening mental state to her, but she didn't mind, which was a relief. I hope my health can become better with time. Maybe this journey will help me out. We'll see.

Before I closed my diary for the day, I added one more sentence. I made myself a promise. A hope. An ambition.

Hopefully, from where I left off...

I'll be able to create the happy ending I always wanted.

I closed the diary.

 _I really hope I can do this. There will be many obstacles: Trainers, gym leaders, even my mental health and fears..._

 _But I will never give up._

 _Never._

 _Just this one last time._

* * *

 **Lows' Team:**

 **Surfer (Blastoise, male) Jolly Nature, moves: Scald, Aqua Tail, Ice Beam, Iron Defense**

 **Grace (Gardevoir, female) Calm Nature, moves: Psychic, Shadow Ball, Thunderbolt, Calm Mind**

 **Woody (Sceptile, male) Lonely Nature, moves: Leaf Blade, Giga Drain, Aerial Ace, Agility**

 **Power (Machamp, male) Timid Nature, moves: Submission, Cross Chop, Rock Tomb, Bulk Up**

 **Shadow (Absol, female) Quiet Nature, moves: Night Slash, Razor Wind, Psycho Cut, Protect**

 **Star (Ampharos, female) Gentle Nature, moves: Discharge, Thunder Punch, Confused Ray, Power Gem**


	5. Kanto 4

After a night's stay at the PokéCentre in Viridian, we were refreshed and ready to continue our journey. Our last try.

Today we would traverse Viridian Forest, Kanto's most famous woodland. I was never sure why its popularity spiked, but I heard its stemmed from when the Pokémon Pikachu was discovered here.

But that wasn't what was on my mind. A forest means trees and bug type Pokémon. That made my skin crawl. Bug types brought back a horrible memory of being surrounded by them in Petalburg Woods. It turned out they were being controlled by a villainous team and would never ordinarily attack unless they were under threat, but it made me uneasy nonetheless. I would never forget the sinister glow in their eyes that day.

As I hurried through the trees as fast as possible, Sip said, "Lows, I thought you had a phobia of Bug type Pokémon?"

I turned to him, "Yeah, I still do. Why do you ask?"

"Nothing... It's just that you seem more confident here, so I thought you might've gotten over the fear."

"Oh... That's because I'm hiding my true fears. I am still a little scared of them," I replied.

"How come?" Sip asked.

"Well... I just feel like it shouldn't be shown. I tend to hide my feelings a lot nowadays."

What I said was kinda true, actually.

Sometimes I just didn't see why I should show them my feelings. Just like the pain I suffered when I lost Dad - I let that overwhelm me, I let it cause me to make an irreversible mistake and lose my best friend. From that point onwards I started to hide my negative thoughts and feelings whenever I could. I just didn't want to affect anyone else; it felt like I didn't deserve any help to overcome my emotions.

I'd changed a lot since everything turned upside down, I guess.

"You know, you don't have to bury your emotions. I care about you and want to help you out, even if it's just by staying by your side when you're breaking down. Just don't keep everything to yourself, alright?" said Sip.

I kept quiet. I wanted to tell him I'd try. But in truth, I didn't know. _How would I react if something happened again? Would I be able to open up a heart that had been closed for years?_

I couldn't promise anything.

Noticing my silence, he knew that I was deep in thought. He was my best friend and he knew me well, so he just quietly stayed by my side as we walked through the forest.

Sometimes silence speaks louder than words. It's a huge support, one that I loved to have.

* * *

 **Pewter City**

 **The town of rugged mountains.**

"I can't wait to fight the gym leader here! His name is... uh, Rock, right? Whoever it is, I'll take him out!" The enthusiastic Sip was already making plans for the gym battle, "Let's see, my team shall be..."

"Brock." I corrected him. "He specialises in Rock type Pokémon. His battle conditions are 2 on 2 single battles. One tip: His Pokémon's physical attacks are insanely powerful against those who aren't prepared."

"Wow, you sure know a lot about him, Lows."

I scratched my head. "Well... not too much. Thanks though."

Sip then continued his game plan, "First, I'll use... no, wait! Since it's 2 on 2 single battles, it's best to end the battle quickly. How about..."

I just stood there listening to his preparations. Then I realised I should start planning as well.

For some reason, though, my feelings about this upcoming battle were mixed. Was I feeling excited? Nervous? Nostalgic? Afraid?

But whatever it was, that feeling sapped my motiation to even start training for the gym battle.

I sighed. _M-Maybe I shouldn't even get myself back into this..._

 _Do I even enjoy battling anymore?_

At that moment, the feeling, the exhilaration of battling just wasn't there. I knew it was an awful time to be taking on a gym, but it was too late to back off.

 _I guess I have no way but to give in, then._

"The safest picks are definitely Surfer, Power and Woody, as they have the type advantage. However... I'm not sure what Brock has up his sleeve. Maybe I should pick another Pokémon just for any surprises." I murmured as I surveyed my team.

I looked over the six cards I had specially made back in Johto for easier picking during important battles like these. I even added notes to the cards to make sure I could always make the best choices.

Now, one of the notes caught my eye: " **Has had a bad experience with Rock type Pokémon.** "

I immediately knew I couldn't choose him. I pushed the card aside.

 _Looks like there are only two Pokémon left. But... this just seems to be a little too simple._

 _I'm not saying he's weak or anything, but he lacks speed compared to other Pokémon. Maybe I should take him out and replace him with..._

I chose two cards from the six, and covered my hands together.

"Yup, looks like it's done."

* * *

"Who are the battling Pokémon, Lows?" Surfer asked, the others waiting behind him in anticipation of my answer.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you about it." I lightly hit my forehead as I revealed: "Surfer, you're battling this time. Your Water type attacks will be a huge help for this battle."

"I'll do my best, Lows. Who's accompanying me?" The Blastoise asked.

"Shadow." My Pokémon were obviously not expecting this choice. I continued, "Shadow's faster than most Rock type Pokémon, so she can get the upper hand. She can also be our secret weapon for the battle, just in case Brock pulls out any surprises."

"But why not Woody? He's definitely a good choice for this situation. He's dextrous and has the type advantage too." Grace exclaimed.

"Well... I think he knows why." I looked over to Woody, who was sighing in relief.

"Yeah... Ever since I saw that Tyranitar hurt you back in Johto... I just can't face rock types. They remind me of that day too much." He lowered his head.

"Aww, Woody." Grace hugged her partner, "I recovered from that long ago."

"I know. But... it's best I don't take part in this battle," Woody sighed as the Gardevoir nodded, respecting his choice.

"Alright, let's hope for the best." I ended the short meeting as they cheered. They looked excited for their first battle in a long time.

 _Am I supposed to feel excited too?_

 _Right now, I'm just not feeling anything. At all._

 _It just feels like a burden. I'm scared of what could happen in the battle. What if something goes wrong? What if my Pokemon get injured badly?_

I sighed. I didn't know if I could do this.

 _We have to start somewhere, at least._

I stood up, ready to train with my Pokémon.

* * *

The training had started for the team, but I just wasn't feeling right. I was constantly getting distracted and couldn't seem to deliver a good performance. And I was sure I wasn't the only one who'd noticed it.

Just as I thought, Surfer asked, "Are you alright, Lows?"

I forced a smile. "Don't worry about me, Surfer. I'm just not getting the hang of it yet."

"Alright. If you need anything, don't hesitate to tell any of us." Surfer replied before returning to his training.

I looked at my hardworking Pokémon and sighed.

 _They're so excited and serious about this battle. This is our comeback, and yet I can't even show half the energy I have in the past._

 _M-Maybe I'm the biggest burden of the team after all._

 _Do they think they deserve a better trainer than me?_

I shook my head, trying to get myself together and focus on the upcoming battle instead.

* * *

Surfer had said that he was going back to training, but he couldn't bear not to check on his trainer all the time. He knew Lows was still struggling to regain his passion for battling. It had been a long time since the team battled, after all.

The Blastoise called everyone for a short rest. "Don't you think Lows is struggling?" He said when the rest of the team had gathered.

"I noticed that too. I hope he'll be alright... We need him to lead the team." Star said worriedly.

Out of nowhere, Surfer asked a sensitive question: "Have any of you ever thought that we deserve a better trainer than Lows?"

"W-What are you talking about, Surfer?! Why would we?" Star then looked at the others, "R-Right, guys?"

Everyone nodded, but Power suddenly said, "To be honest, I have." He sighed, "I was pondering why I'm still stuck here just after I started doing well in battles and how I deserve better. But then I remembered how much Lows has done for us in the past. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't even have a trainer. I pushed the thought back and promised that I'll stick with him as long as I can."

"That's right. I have nothing but appreciation for Lows. Without him I'd still be in the Adoption Centre, and I'd never have met a great partner." The Sceptile turned to Grace, who gave him a huge smile.

"Not everyone is perfect. We've all been through ups and downs. After all these years, we've grown so much. We owe that to Lows, so I will accept him whether he's at his peak or rock bottom." Grace said.

"He's the best trainer to me." Shadow said. She was usually quiet during conversations, but her gratitude exceeded her quiet personality for this one.

"That's the spirit, everyone. I knew you'd all be faithful to him. Let's all do our best to help him regain his passion. Back to training!" Surfer said enthusiastically, the others cheering with him. With more motivation than ever, the team returned to their training.

 _We will do our best to make it work this time. For Lows._

* * *

"Onyx, Rock Slide!"

"Max, let's finish it off with an Earthquake!"

I witnessed Max, Sip's Flygon, finally take Brock's Onix down with one final, powerful blow, a monumental task complete. Sip had been on the edge of defeat for the entire battle despite his type advantage. It was nerve-wracking to watch.

As Sip happily received his badge, I started quivering with anxiety.

 _I'm going to be up soon... But I haven't been training well at all. Brock seems tough to defeat... W-Will I mess this up?_

I sighed, already feeling defeated on the inside.

I hid my worries from Sip as we left the gym. He was celebrating his victory and I didn't want to spoil his mood by expressing my doubts.

On our way to the PokéCentre, we stumbled across a noticeable crowd, seemingly anticipating something.

"Look, Lows, there's a stage over there. Maybe someone's performing! Let's go check it out." Sip suggested. I didn't object, so we both tried to find a spot with a decent view of the stage.

"Thank you all for coming today!" The host on the stage cheered. "We now welcome our special guest, Lisa Kaname from Viridian City, who will now give us an exciting performance."

The crowd, including Sip, cheered for the surprise appearance by Lisa. I joined them and stared at the stage, waiting for my friend to show up. It wasn't long before she emerged wearing a simple white dress and sent out her beloved starter, Hydro the Croconaw. The crowd waited in anticipation to see what the coordinator had in store for them - it seemed she'd gained a lot of fans over these years with her dazzling performances.

Lisa brought the stage to life with her trusty partner as music washed over us. I just stared at her the whole time without saying a word, ignoring the cheering crowds around me.

Sure, I'm amazed by how much she improved, too. But I'll never forget the first time she performed, the time she was dressed uncomfortably and she lost in the end. She revealed her thoughts afterwards: all she'd wanted was some plain attire. We trusted her and she stunned us all, winning her first contest.

 _Oh, Lisa... You never changed after all._ I thought as I looked at the modest clothes she sported. She still stood out like no other.

I'll never forget the thrill I felt the first time, the wonder at how much a performer's bond with their Pokémon could move an audience. How she poured her heart and soul into a simple performance. That was more than enough for me.

I remember two years ago, after we'd stopped contacting each other, I happened upon a performance of hers in a contest in Viridian City. She stayed for a short time afterwards, but I didn't have the courage to try and talk to her. I did buy the ticket to watch the contest, though. I didn't know what I was thinking. I just felt that... I wanted to see her again, even from far away. Just to know she was doing well, that that was all.

But when it reached her turn, I started feeling scared. I felt anxious, like she'd notice even among the huge crowd. Did I even deserve to be watching her perform...?

 _I know she's doing well, that's enough for me_ , I thought as I quietly left the hall.

I'd acted like a coward again, avoiding my mistakes and neglected the pure friendship I had in the past. And I regretted it to no end. I thought that was the last time I'd ever see her again, but the chance came just a few days ago. I hope I can fix my mistakes this time.

A wave of cheers and applause erupted from the audience as the performance ended. It felt too fast.

"What a marvelous performance from our special guest, Lisa, and a wonderful way to officially begin the festival! Have a good day, everyone!" The host announced before the crowd began to move to where the festival was held.

We caught sight of Lisa, now in normal clothes, coming towards us. "I saw you two in the audience! How did I do?"

"You did amazing, Lisa." Sip smiled.

"Thanks! What about you, Lows?" Lisa turned to me. My mind felt kind of lost and I couldn't give a proper answer. I'd genuinely loved the performance, but I didn't want to say anything. I didn't want to accidentally hurt her with my words.

"Oh... That's fine. You two wanna enjoy the festival with me? There's going to be tons of food!" Lisa was slightly disappointed, but quickly hid it as she enthusiastically invited us to join her.

"So, what's this festival about?" I asked. The other two gave me weird looks.

"You really didn't know what this is?" Sip asked, "Oh brother, you are missing out."

"I know, I know..." I lightly hit my best friend's shoulder, "Seriously, what is it about?"

"It's an annual festival where the people in Kanto show their gratitude to the Legendary Birds. When the three birds, Zapdos, Moltres and Articuno, were discovered, it was said that they had been roaming around the region for millions of years, protecting Kanto from any sort of danger. It's very special to all of Kanto." Lisa explained as she pointed to a banner depicting the three Elemental Birds soaring against a turquoise sky background.

"Sounds cool. Want to join, Lows?" Sip asked. I nodded.

"I'm going to check out the stalls over there," he continued. "We can meet up again after the celebrations. Have fun!" And with that he disappeared into the crowd.

"Let's get some food over there, Lows," Lisa suggested. I nodded awkwardly, remembering the last time we'd met, when I'd broken down in front of her. We got our food in silence and sat in a quiet corner, away from the large clouds. Stillness wreathed the air around us as we ate.

"You seem to be eating a lot healthier than you used to." I mentioned Lisa's food as an excuse to break the silence.

"Unhealthy food is officially my enemy," she chuckled as she had another bite of her fruit salad, "As a Coordinator, having a healthy diet is quite important, so I got myself used to vegetables and fruits. It's for the better!"

"It's alright to have a good meal once in a while, though." I replied.

"Yeah, I know that! I do miss the fried chicken and the curry ramen noodles I used to eat a lot." She smiled, "But enough about me. What have you and Sip been up to in Pewter?"

"Preparing for the gym battle, I guess. Well, kinda... Sip just got his first gym badge before the festival started." I smiled, disguising the twinge of bitterness I felt.

"That's great. What about you? You got the gym badge yet?" Lisa asked.

"Nope. Haven't progressed much, really."

"Why not?"

"Well..." I was hesitant to bring her even more trouble than last time, but I knew she wouldn't be satisfied without an answer. I sighed, "I just don't have the passion to battle."

"Oh... It's fine, Lows. If you don't do well this time, there's always a second try! Don't get discouraged."

"Thanks." I forced a smile, hiding my worries. But Lisa knew me too well. She was able to see my true feelings even through my guise.

"It's alright to feel despair about something you love sometimes, you know?" she said. "I've felt like that before too."

"You had? You always seem to be having fun in your performances."

"Everyone has to go through hardships sometimes. There were times when I just had no motivation to Coordinate. I even tried to give up once. But I hung on, and it felt great."

"What makes you keep going?" I asked.

"I just try to make the best of every performance... as if it's my last."

"What do you mean, your last? Why?"

"Well... I'm more determined to do my best that way! And I'm sure you can conquer those hardships and fight your way to the top too," she smiled.

"What If I mess up again? What if my Pokemon get injured because of me? What if-"

Lisa hugged me.

It was just like the day she lost in her first contest, I comforted her, and the shy gal hugged me. I'd never forget it.

"L-Lisa..." I was flushed, obviously. I never would've expected that.

"Lows... You worry way too much sometimes. I'm sure everything will be fine. When you're in despair... think about the ones who supported you. There's always people at your side." She finally broke the hug. "Just promise me you be won't give up, alright? I'm sure you'll find your passion again soon."

"I-I'll try." I was flustered, but I listened to every piece of advice she gave me. I kept it in my heart.

"Good! Let's continue checking out the festival. I'm sure you'll enjoy it!" She stood up and started walking forward as she finished her food.

"W-Wait, Lisa!" I yelled, suddenly gaining courage. She turned around, confused.

"You asked for my opinion on your performance, right? Well, I think you did great! Seeing how much you've improved makes me so happy. I'm glad I got to watch you perform again." Expressing myself like this made me nervous. I didn't want to look stupid.

She just stood there, stunned. A tear fell from her right eye as she smiled in relief. "Lows... I'm glad you loved it. I really am. I'm glad I didn't break the promise. I-I told you I'd work my hardest for you, didn't I?"

Her beam turned into a laugh as she regained her composture. "Let's enjoy the festival together, Lows! I'll race you there." The young girl took off into the stall in front us.

But I stood still, stunned by what she'd said.

 _"I-I told you I will work my hardest for you, didn't I?"_

 _So she still remembered after all these years..._

I clenched my fist.

 _No matter what happens, I will battle my hardest. I won't lose my passion. And even if I do, it won't stop me._

 _You held the promise. You never gave up. So I won't either._

 _For you._

* * *

 **Lows' Team:**

 **Surfer (Blastoise, male) Jolly Nature, moves: Scald, Aqua Tail, Ice Beam, Iron Defense**

 **Grace (Gardevoir, female) Calm Nature, moves: Psychic, Shadow Ball, Thunderbolt, Calm Mind**

 **Woody (Sceptile, male) Lonely Nature, moves: Leaf Blade, Giga Drain, Aerial Ace, Agility**

 **Power (Machamp, male) Timid Nature, moves: Submission, Cross Chop, Rock Tomb, Bulk Up**

 **Shadow (Absol, female) Quiet Nature, moves: Night Slash, Razor Wind, Psycho Cut, Protect**

 **Star (Ampharos, female) Gentle Nature, moves: Discharge, Thunder Punch, Confused Ray, Power Gem**


	6. Kanto 5

**Author Notes: Hello, it's been a long time since I posted a chapter and I apologise for that. I'm currently busy with my final year in highschool, and some personal issues really slowed down my writing. I'll do my best to get back to it again. For now, enjoy!**

Despite my struggles to regain my passion for battling, I'd trained my hardest over the past days. I really wanted to try my best in this fight.

Previously, standing on the battlefield again had seemed like a distant dream, but here I was in front of Brock, the gym leader. It was finally happening.

The nervousness I hadn't felt in so long now hit me once again. I could hear only the sounds of my heartbeat and the vague voice of the referee explaining the rules, which were already familiar to me.

Before I could mentally prepare myself, the referee suddenly made the announcement: "The battle between Brock and Lows has officially begun! Trainers, please send out your first Pokémon!"

I quickly took out a Pokéball, only to find out it was Woody's and not Surfer's. Making such a mistake at the very start jarred me, but I quickly switched it with Surfer's Pokéball in my right hand.

By the time I was ready, Brock already sent out his Golem and was glaring at me. "I thought you were more experienced than that, trainer."

I tried to ignore him and threw my Pokéball, sending out my Blastoise. He was more ready to fight after so long.

"Let the battle begin!"

"Surfer, Iron Defense!" I knew the Golem would be easy to defeat due to its type disadvantage against Water, so instead of attacking it I decided to increase my defense in preparation for the battle against Onyx, Brock's main Pokemon.

The Blastoise shone brightly as he obeyed my command, his body becoming rigid and strong. On the other side, Brock's Golem started building up its own defense as Brock gave his own order: floating rocks surrounded my opponent, creating an extra barrier against later attacks.

I knew I had no time to lose; I couldn't let the Golem continue strengthening its defense. "Surfer, use Scald on the Stealth Rock!"

Surfer opened his mouth and a stream of boiling hot water was released. The attack shattered the Golem's rocks perfectly, leaving it open for attack.

"Geode, Earthquake!" The Golem charged its power and the ground shook heavily. But my Blastoise remained unfazed and held his ground, surviving the powerful quake.

"Surfer, Aqua Tail!" I commanded, trying to finish the battle. It had taken way longer than it should have, and I was scared my Blastoise might lose unnecessary stamina.

My starter swung its cascading tail and hit its opponent through the space, I knew I'd done it. But despite panting heavily in exhaustion, the Golem withstood the powerful attack. My mind went blank as I tried to work out how. Then I realised.

 _G-Geode has Sturdy..._

"You've been falling into my trap all this time!" The gym leader smirked, "Geode, it's time to end it together! Explosion!"

The Golem started charging its inner power. At that point, I could've done something, like returning Surfer to stop the attack from damaging my beloved starter.

But I was still in complete shock. I couldn't think. It was as if darkness was consuming me, as my inner demon's voice appeared again.

 _"You're going to fail again. Just give up."_

In a flash, my mind went back to the battlefield. The Golem that had exploded lay on the ground, unable to battle after using up all its energy. Surfer was exhausted and heavily injured, but still holding on. He hadn't been defeated just yet.

But I was. One by one my fears struck me. The fear of being unable to protect my Pokémon. The fear of battling again, just to show that I wasn't capable of chasing my young dreams.

 _I-I'm sorry..._

The referee began to speak in the midst of my panic attack. "Geode is unable to battle! Surfer wins!"

Brock nodded as he took out his second Pokéball and I watched him throw it.

My heart sank when the Pokémon emerged. _N-Not now..._

It wasn't an Onix. A powerful Steelix towered right in front of the Blastoise, eager to battle its prey of the day.

Regardless of my feelings of helplessness, the battle continued. "The battle between Steelix and Surfer will now... begin!"

* * *

Sip was watching the battle all along as an audience. "Oh no... Panic attack plus a surprise appearance. This won't end up pretty for Lows."

 _Come on, Lows. You can do this!_

Suddenly, another voice appeared, "Brock told me he would get an upgrade for the battle after the battle with you. It seemed like he wasn't lying to me."

Sip clenched his fist. "Is there any way Lows can still win this?"

"Who knows. What makes it worse is that Lows isn't feeling too well either. It seems like he's changed a lot since the last time we met. To win the battle, he has to both wake up from his nightmare and reignite his passion for battling. Only then can he turn the tides."

"Lows, please don't give up..." Sip murmured. He turned to the mysterious voice. "Hey, you seem to know about Lows." As the face of the boy came into view, Sip became stunned. "Y-You're... It can't be!"

The teenager simply closed his eyes.

 _I know you can do this, Lows._

* * *

It wasn't long before Surfer was taken down by the Steelix. Despite his efforts to fight back, without my commands he was left lost. Despite his efforts he eventually succumbed to an Earthquake attack.

I returned the Blastoise without saying a word. It didn't even matter anymore. I was completely controlled by my inner demon, wanting to just end the battle, go home and pretend none of this ever happened.

The demon was laughing at me. _"That's right, Lows. Give up and go home."_

Brock yelled from the other side, "You're not going to do anything? Just going to give in like this?"

I didn't reply.

I sent out Shadow, who gave me concerned looks. She knew something was wrong, but I avoided her stares and tried to pretend everything was alright.

Deep down, though, I knew I let my friends, my Pokémon down.

 _I guess... I'm still that coward from the past._

"The battle between Steelyx and Shadow will now begin!" As the referee announced that, Steelyx coldly started unleashing his attacks to tear down my Absol. She tried to fight back using her own moves, but it obviously wasn't enough. She was losing her direction without me.

Finally, Brock commanded, "Trap Shadow with Stone Edge!"

Steelyx charged up its attack as Shadow struggled to escape the spiking stones emerging from the ground and surrounding her. Brock knew this was it. "Steelyx, let's just finish this. Rock Slide!"

I sighed as I watched the boulders fall onto Shadow one after another. Soon the Absol was nowhere to be seen, presumed that the battle was over.

 _I'm sorry... I failed you all._

As the referee got ready to announce the final results, more bad memories flowed through my mind, darkness consuming me...

"Shadow is unable to- oh?" The referee cut off mid sentence as he saw something moving below the boulders. Soon, my Absol emerged, somehow surviving against astronomical odds. Though she was heavily damaged, she still wanted to battle. Her eyes... were burning with passion.

She looked at me in the eyes, as my ability to read thoughts was activated again. It was like... she wanted me to listen to her willpower.

 _"I won't give up. None of us will..._

 _And I hope you won't too."_

I stared at my loyal Absol, speechless. _E-Even though I'm not a good trainer, you all still wanted to stick with me..._

A small spark of hope illuminated the darkness, as I remembered a conversation with Lisa.

 _"Why do you want to be a Pokémon Trainer, Lows?"_

 _"Well... I didn't have many friends in the past. It felt like Pokémon are the only things that can understand me. Silly, right? I feel the most comfortable around Pokémon, and I want to have a team so that the Pokémon can be my best friends. We'll have so much fun together."_

 _Having fun with my Pokémon... That's all I'd wanted in the past._

My Pokémon have always stuck with me through every hardship. We've been through worse, and yet they're here, trying their best to help me get through my downfall and my first battle after so long.

 _"I'm sure everything will be fine. When you're in despair... think about the ones who supported you to make this decision. It will make you feel much more motivated."_

Lisa's words echoed through my mind.

I closed my eyes, images of Sip, Lisa, my Pokémon, my sister, my mother, and many more appeared. Tears began to fall. All of them supported me to take another step, yet here I was, afraid of my inner demon during a small battle in my life.

 _All this time... I've been so worried about battling. Where's the fun in that?_

I opened my eyes.

 _We're here now. Let's make the most of it._

Shadow looked at me and smiled. She knew her mission was accomplished. I looked back at her and commanded, "Shadow, break through with Psycho Cut!" She needed to break out of the spiky stones.

But despite her efforts, Brock wasn't slowing down. "Steelyx, Iron Tail!"

As the Steelix tried to swing its tail towards my Dark type Pokémon, I reacted, "Dodge and use Night Slash!"

Shadow quickly sidestepped the attack and dashed towards the Steelix, an aura of darkness surrounding her. She then hit it with a powerful slash, damaging the serpent. I knew it wasn't much due to the type resistance, but it was a start.

That was why I chose Shadow instead of Power. Her speed would help her dodge Steelix's slow yet powerful attacks.

And finally it was time to show them what we were really made of.

My sudden burst of confidence slightly surprised the gym leader, but he remained calm and said, "Shadow couldn't hold on any longer, I can tell. Finish it off with Stone Edge! And this time she can't dodge it!"

As the spiky stones emerged from the ground and were slowly getting closer, I asked Shadow, "You have been practicing that new move you always wanted to finish off battles with, right?"

Shadow nodded, and I gave my last command, "Let's put it to use today! Shadow, Superpower!"

In one monumental effort my Absol pushed the very limits of her speed, a blue aura surrounding her. Then, she opened her eyes in determination, and dashed towards the spiky stones guarding the enormous Steelix.

I was always scared to ask Shadow to use Superpower. I knew she was eager to learn and use it, but I was afraid she might injure herself, or it might not work at all.

But when I told her to use the risky move, it felt like a heavy stone was finally lifted from my heart.

It felt great.

It felt like... I was being myself again. The trainer who didn't care about the result of the battle. The trainer who just wanted to have fun.

I remembered my last official battle, back in the Silver League years ago. I lost to the arrogant bully Taylor Rose in the quarterfinals after a hard fought battle. Taylor was going to insult me, but she instead saw me smiling.

"Why are you smiling? You should be sad that you lost!"

"I feel like I did the best that I have ever done. I feel like... this is a stepping stone in my journey as a trainer. I had so much fun today. With my Pokémon, with my friends. I have no regrets." I told her as I looked at my dear friends who'd supported me.

"Y-You! Whatever, you're just trying to find an excuse to feel better about yourself!" She'd said as she stomped away from the battlefield.

I petted Star, who was both exhausted and disappointed by the results, and was unable to defeat her former trainer. "Don't worry about it, Star. I'm so proud of you." She finally smiled and gave me a huge hug.

 _How could I have forgotten all of these good memories?_

 _All these years, I was stuck in those bad memories, unable to step out of my comfort zone._

But in this moment, after I just took the risk with no regard for the consequences...

It felt like I'd regained my passion for battling.

 _This is how we're going to do it._

My Absol dashed towards the deadly battlefield with no sign of stopping. Neither of us were planning to give in.

There were three layers of rock ahead of Shadow. My heart thumped with every layer of the spiky stones she broke through.

 _One._

 _Two._

 _And three!_

I clenched my fist, my emotion flowing out to empower my Dark type Pokémon. She kept her quick pace up until she finally collided with the Steelix, unleashing everything she had in her on the serpent.

The steel type was launched into the air due to the impact, its enormous body hitting the wall.

Shadow, panting after the powerful impact, slowly recovered. The Steelix, on the other hand fell onto the ground and didn't get back up.

"Steelyx is unable to battle! The winner of the battle is Lows from Pallet Town with Shadow the Absol!" I was holding back tears of joy throughout the announcement - not just the from victory, but from finally finding my passion for battling again.

 _And from here... I can only go up._

Brock walked over to me and said, "It seems like you overcame your struggles and managed to outplay me in the end. You're deserving... of the Boulder Badge."

I accepted the badge gratefully. _How long has it been since I last earned a badge like this?_

 _I missed this feeling. I really did._

I smiled and left the battlefield. Sip and another teenager were waiting for me outside. "I knew you could do it! Your transformation had me in awe, Lows!" My friend exclaimed.

"O-Oh, come on..." I lightly hit his shoulder, "It wasn't that impressive."

"Jokes aside, it seems like you found your passion again. I'm glad to see that."

"Thanks. I'm happy too." I said, giving him a small smile.

"It seems like inside of you, you're still the Lows I knew all along." The teenager beside Sip said, "Welcome back to the battlefield, Lows."

I turned to him, shocked at the familiar voice. "N-No way. It's you..."

The teenager smiled.

"It's been a long time, Lows."

* * *

 **Lows' Team:**

 **Surfer (Blastoise, male) Jolly Nature, moves: Scald, Aqua Tail, Ice Beam, Iron Defense**

 **Grace (Gardevoir, female) Calm Nature, moves: Psychic, Shadow Ball, Thunderbolt, Calm Mind**

 **Woody (Sceptile, male) Lonely Nature, moves: Leaf Blade, Giga Drain, Aerial Ace, Agility**

 **Power (Machamp, male) Timid Nature, moves: Submission, Cross Chop, Rock Tomb, Bulk Up**

 **Shadow (Absol, female) Quiet Nature, moves: Night Slash, Superpower, Psycho Cut, Protect**

 **Star (Ampharos, female) Gentle Nature, moves: Discharge, Thunder Punch, Confused Ray, Power Gem**


End file.
